Rock Island daily Argus., 1887-04-25
A DISASTROUS FIRE.

six Buildings and SEQ. 900 Goes up in
smokei at Davenport---The Loss
and Insuranee---Myster Origin
| of the Flames
One of the heaviest and most
disastrous fires that has occurred
in this vicinity for may months.
took place at Davenport Saturday
afternoon The Democrat of yester-
day morning contains the following ac-
count of the destruction:
| Yesterday the breeze stiffened to a
gale and came sailing over the prairies
Mr.. Peter Behrens. fixing well on his
premises in northwest Davenport, saw
flames coming out of the garret window
of the machine shop of William Stern
berg. He gave the alarm; the employees
turned out and went to work to save the
property, but it was too late. The flames
spread The dry building furnished
food for the leapiug and consuming
blaze. Some barrels of oil standing
near caught, and then the destruction
spread both ways until half block was
| burned over and covered with smoking
embers, and a nice little sum had gone up
| in smoke.
On the corner opposite Peter Jacob
sens is cigar factory. From this east
there is nothing left tor nearly block.
The first house was harness shop own
ed bv Fritz Better Nothing is left but
i l. rKA
story house well stocked with goods,
81 800 worth, and also used as a dwell
| ling. The house was worth 81 900
There was $500 insurance on it in the
Commercial Union, London The insur
ance on the stock was $500 in the Michi-
| gan, and $500 on the household goods in
the Hawkeye. Next came 40 unoccupied
tin shop. owned by Peter Jacobson, who
had Just had a carpenter put it In good
| shape, with new picket fence and side
walk He valued it at $500. and had it
insured for $3.50 in the German Of Frees
port The machine shop stood next, and
Mr.. Steirnberg is heavy loser He
built the works IN 1872. and has worked
and saved ever since. II was sorry day
for him. His loss is probably $4,000.
The shop was eighty by fifty
feet. and employed eight or ten
men. He had completed lot of
valuable machinery for the West
Davenport Furniture company, and that
had not yet been delivered. The MOeller
& Aschermann company also had val
liable lot of machinery that they had not
removed He carried 1890 insurance
in the Milwaukee Mechanics company,
and 81 3S5 in the New York Bowery
| Next came the store owned by Peter
Behrens, and occupied by Peter Klop>
penburg There was a warehouse TWEEN
ty by fourteen feet and full OF goods. a
stable and corn crib. and these were all
consumed. The building was two-
story, with summer kitchen There
was 81 300 insurance on the building
worth easily 81 900, in the German. of
| Freeport On this stock there was $500
in the same company, and $500 on the
household goods in the Hawkeye of Des
MOines. Next west stood q blacksmith
shop and beyond dwelling Both were
| owned by c. F. Roeschmann, and each
were worth $500 The insurance on
the shop was s4o0 in the Milwaukee
Mechanics and on the house $500 in the
Hawheye of Des Moines.
There were few household goods saw
ed. Still the amount was trifIng CONS
pared with what was destroyed. 1t was
shortly after o'clock when a telephone
message called Chief Stratmeu to the
scene. The nearest alarm box WAS half
mile away. The property destroyed
was in the corner of the city and the
water main could not be reached at all
The chief fought the fire with the hook
and ladder company and they all worked
like beavers. They would begin to tear
house down, and it would take fire and
burn in debris so as to kindle the next.
The wind played havoc with them. The
intense heat can be appreciated by cons
sidering that two houses caught the wind
ward side Mr. Jacobsens place was
saved by force pump and plenty of well
water There was great excitement all
over that part of town and the crowd
was great Mr., SterDherg's safe was
pulled from the ruins and opened. The
contents were smoking but uncOusumed
In one hour or two yesterday afternoon
there WAS more property destroyed taan
during all Of last year The aggregate
loss was $50 900. The insurance amount
cd tO ppe haif that